Chapters · Four Emperors (Yonko) › Wano Country

Chapter 1049: The World That Should Be

Arc: Wano Country · Saga: Four Emperors (Yonko) · Released: 2022-04-24

Summary

As his battle with Luffy reaches its peak, Kaido’s life flashes back: a child of the war-addicted Vodka Kingdom hailed as the “ultimate soldier,” sold by his own country to the Navy in exchange for the right to attend the next Reverie; a repeat escapee with a 70-million bounty who joined the Rocks Pirates at Fullalead at age fifteen and marched to God Valley, only for the crew to be scattered by a sailor named Garp. Out of that wreckage Kaido forged his creed — a world where only war decides a man’s worth — and, prompted by an unnamed weapons broker, became “the embodiment of might.” When Yamato dropped the name Joy Boy, Kaido told King he believes Joy Boy is “the man who shows up to beat me in the future.” In the present, Momonosuke strains to keep Onigashima aloft on flame clouds as water floods the dome and the island begins to fall; Hiyori plays the shamisen at the Treasure Repository to draw out the serpent Orochi. Luffy, declaring his dream of a world where his friends can eat all the food they want, brings down a colossal fist that detonates over the island and drives Kaido down — and Momonosuke’s flame clouds catch the falling Onigashima as the citizens celebrate below.

New reveals

• Kaido’s homeland is the Vodka Kingdom (shown 46 years ago), a country so locked into war that it must “win and loot the enemy to pay our heavenly tribute” and “can’t stop going to war now” (p.3).
• Kaido was raised as the “ultimate soldier” — praised at age ten — and refused to be “some political pawn.” His country handed custody of him to the World Government / Navy in exchange for the right to attend the next Reverie (p.3).
• As a teen Kaido racked up an early bounty (70,000,000, dead or alive) and escaped custody repeatedly — captured only “when he’s hungry” (p.4).
• 44 years ago at Pirate Island Fullalead, Kaido (age 15) was personally recruited into the Rocks Pirates (“Rocks wanted to meet you”) and went with them to God Valley (p.4).
• The Rocks Pirates were broken up at God Valley — “apparently it was a sailor named Garp who did it” — and Kaido vanished afterward (p.5).
• An unnamed blonde weapons broker (a “kuo kuo kuo” laugh) tells Kaido that in the ten years since “that incident” he has become “the embodiment of might,” offering him a weapons deal — and that other Rocks remnants will make names for themselves too (p.5).
• Kaido’s ideal world: equality and freedom through war — “a world where only war decides a man’s true worth,” dragging noble-born rulers off their thrones to the battlefield (p.6).
• Kaido’s read on Joy Boy: prompted by Yamato dropping the name and Oden’s desire to open the country “to welcome Joy Boy,” Kaido tells King that Joy Boy is “the man who shows up to beat me in the future” (p.6, p.16).
• Luffy’s ideal world: “a world where my friends can eat as much food as they want” (p.13–14) — the thematic counter to Kaido’s war-world.
• Kaido is driven down by Luffy’s giant Gear-5 finishing blow (p.14–15); Momonosuke re-summons the flame clouds and Onigashima settles softly (p.17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Kaido, Luffy, Momonosuke, King, Kozuki Hiyori, Orochi, Nico Robin, Osome, Garp (mentioned), Yamato (mentioned), Kozuki Oden (mentioned), Rocks (mentioned), Joy Boy (mentioned)
• Locations: Onigashima, Wano Country, Flower Capital, Vodka Kingdom (flashback), Fullalead (flashback), God Valley (mentioned)
• Crews: Rocks Pirates, Animal Kingdom Pirates
• Concepts: Meeting of Kings (Reverie), Celestial Dragons, Flame Clouds
• Cover story: Germa 66’s “AH… An Emotionless Excursion,” Vol. 11 — “Why?! The book in the lab burned up, freeing the brothers!!” — the Vinsmoke brothers (Ichiji, Niji, Yonji) are freed.

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page “The World That Should Be.” Cover story: Germa 66’s “An Emotionless Excursion,” Vol. 11 (the Vinsmoke brothers freed when the lab book burns).
• Page 3 — Kaido’s backstory opens: Vodka Kingdom, 46 years ago; the child “ultimate soldier” sold for a Reverie seat and enlisted in the Navy.
• Page 4 — 44 years ago, Pirate Island Fullalead: Kaido (15) recruited into the Rocks Pirates and bound for God Valley; early bounty 70,000,000 “dead or alive.”
• Page 5 — The Rocks Pirates broken up at God Valley by Garp; an unnamed blonde broker later offers Kaido a “weapons” deal and crowns him “the embodiment of might.”
• Page 6 — Kaido’s creed: a world where only war decides a man’s worth. Intercut with Kaido/King discussing Joy Boy.
• Page 7–8 — Momonosuke summons flame clouds to hold Onigashima up; water suddenly floods the performance floor, sweeping up celebrating citizens (Robin briefly caught).
• Page 10 — Hiyori plays the shamisen at the Treasure Repository (Tori Floor), luring the serpent Orochi.
• Page 11–12 — The flame clouds vanish and Onigashima begins to fall; Kaido asks Luffy “what kind of world” he would create.
• Page 13–14 — Luffy’s dream — “a world where my friends can eat as much food as they want” — as he winds up the giant finishing fist.
• Page 14–15 — The colossal Gear-5 fist lands and detonates over the island; Kaido is driven down.
• Page 16 — Kaido’s words to King: Joy Boy is “the man who shows up to beat me in the future.”
• Page 17 — Momonosuke re-summons the flame clouds; Onigashima settles softly; the festival continues. “To be continued.”

Open questions raised

• Who is the unnamed blonde weapons broker who armed Kaido and named him “the embodiment of might”? What “incident” and what weapons does she mean (p.5)?
• What exactly happened to Kaido at God Valley after Garp broke the Rocks Pirates — and where did he go in the years before the broker found him (p.5)?
• Is Kaido truly defeated, or merely driven down? The island still hangs in the balance as the chapter ends (p.15–17).